Jeremiah 8:2

Context8:2 They will be spread out and exposed to the sun, the moon and the stars.1 These are things they2 adored and served, things to which they paid allegiance,3 from which they sought guidance, and worshiped. The bones of these people4 will never be regathered and reburied. They will be like manure used to fertilize the ground.5

Jeremiah 11:10

Context11:10 They have gone back to the evil ways6 of their ancestors of old who refused to obey what I told them. They, too, have paid allegiance to7 other gods and worshiped them. Both the nation of Israel and the nation of Judah8 have violated the covenant I made with their ancestors.

Jeremiah 13:10

Context13:10 These wicked people refuse to obey what I have said.9 They follow the stubborn inclinations of their own hearts and pay allegiance10 to other gods by worshiping and serving them. So11 they will become just like these linen shorts which are good for nothing.

Jeremiah 16:11

Context16:11 Then tell them that the Lord says,12 ‘It is because your ancestors13 rejected me and paid allegiance to14 other gods. They have served them and worshiped them. But they have rejected me and not obeyed my law.15

Jeremiah 25:6

Context25:6 Do not pay allegiance to16 other gods and worship and serve them. Do not make me angry by the things that you do.17 Then I will not cause you any harm.’

Jeremiah 35:15

Context35:15 I sent all my servants the prophets to warn you over and over again. They said, “Every one of you, stop doing the evil things you have been doing and do what is right.18 Do not pay allegiance to other gods19 and worship them. Then you can continue to live in this land that I gave to you and your ancestors.” But you did not pay any attention or listen to me.

1tc MT, 4QJera and LXX read “the sun and the moon and all the host of heaven,” but 4QJerc reads “the sun and all the stars.”

10tnHeb “and [they follow] after.” See the translator’s note at 2:5 for the idiom.

11tn The structure of this verse is a little unusual. It consists of a subject, “this wicked people” qualified by several “which” clauses preceding a conjunction and a form which would normally be taken as a third person imperative (a Hebrew jussive; וִיהִי, vihi). This construction, called casus pendens by Hebrew grammarians, lays focus on the subject, here calling attention to the nature of Israel’s corruption which makes it rotten and useless to God. See GKC 458 §143.d for other examples of this construction.

12tn These two sentences have been recast in English to break up a long Hebrew sentence and incorporate the oracular formula “says the Lord (Heb ‘oracle of the Lord’)” which occurs after “Your fathers abandoned me.” In Hebrew the two sentences read: “When you tell them these things and they say, ‘…’, then tell them, ‘Because your ancestors abandoned me,’ oracle of the Lord.”

14tnHeb “followed after.” See the translator’s note at 2:5 for the explanation of the idiom.

15tnHeb “But me they have abandoned and my law they have not kept.” The objects are thrown forward to bring out the contrast which has rhetorical force. However, such a sentence in English would be highly unnatural.

16tnHeb “follow after.” See the translator’s note on 2:5 for this idiom.

17tnHeb “make me angry with the work of your hands.” The term “work of your own hands” is often interpreted as a reference to idolatry as is clearly the case in Isa 2:8; 37:19. However, the parallelism in 25:14 and the context in 32:30 show that it is more general and refers to what they have done. That is likely the meaning here as well.

18tnHeb “Turn, each of you, from his [= your] wicked way and make good your deeds.” Compare 18:11 where the same idiom occurs with the added term of “make good your ways.”

19tnHeb “Don’t go after/follow other gods.” See the translator’s note on 2:5 for an explanation of the idiom and see 11:10; 13:10; 25:6 for the same idiom.